Competition

* Unless explicitly noted, all times indicated for deadlines are for the appropriate NL timezone (NST or NDT)

The Government of Canada is advancing gender equality and women’s economic empowerment through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES, or the Strategy).  As part of the Strategy, the Government is ensuring women across Canada have access to the business supports they need to start or grow a business.  The 2027 WES Ecosystem Fund call for proposals is now open.  This call will identify and select projects that provide women entrepreneurs across Canada with the business supports they need to start, grow, or scale their businesses.

Eligibility

Projects must be led by a Canadian incorporated (federally or provincially) not-for-profit organization that has been operating for at least three years.  Lead applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• – Have an established mandate focused on supporting women entrepreneurs; and/or,

• – Have existing programming (offered within the past three years) focused on women entrepreneurs.

This call for proposals is open to organizations that have not previously received WES program funding, as well as previous WES funding recipients.

Project Scope and Priorities

Eligible projects will offer business support services to women entrepreneurs and/or majority women-owned businesses. Funding consideration will be given to projects that:

• – are national in scope, or serve a minimum of 4 provinces and territories that are not regionally clustered (multi-regional);

• – have a budget of between $250,000 and $6,000,000;

• – be completed by March 31, 2031; and

• – deliver services and products in both official languages as per the Official Languages Act.

In addition to the external funding agency’s submission procedures, this opportunity must also be submitted for Departmental, HSS Faculty, and Research Initiatives and Services (RIS) institutional reviews and approvals via Memorial's Researcher Portal (RP). In order to facilitate the HSS Faculty’s administrative review, please ensure "Heather C. O'Brien (Grants Facilitator)" and “Matthew Milner (Grants Facilitator)” are added as "Team Members" on your RP file. 

In accordance with University-wide approval protocols, all tabs of the RP file must be completed, the completed application must be uploaded to the “Attachments” tab, all supporting documentation including support for cash and in-kind commitments and/or letters of support must also be uploaded, and “Submit” must be pressed prior to the HSS internal deadline listed below. HSS cannot guarantee completion of an administrative review for application files that are incomplete and/or are submitted after the HSS deadline. For more detailed RP submission instructions and information, please consult the "How Do I...?" page of HSS Research Support Services website.

If you plan to apply to this competition or other research funding opportunities (as either PI or CI), contact an HSS Grants Facilitation Officer (GFO), Heather C. O’Brien (HSSResearchAdmin@mun.ca, 864-8603) or Matthew Milner (HSSResearchGrants@mun.ca, 864-8050), to notify the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) of your intent to apply. Informing HSS of youir intent to apply early, may make it possible for you to avail of HSS's proposal development supports and will help facilitate an efficient final review. A GFO can also answer any questions you may have about internal or external submission procedures.